2025 Jan 5 Field Trip – Mushrooms at Whiting Ranch – Cancelled

Cancelled – Rainfall is significantly lower than normal this season and so are the mushrooms.

Mushrooming Trip
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park
with Joanne Schwartz

Sunday January 5th

DESCRIPTION

Join mushroom expert and OCCNPS member Joanne Schwartz as we scout for various species of mushrooms and other fungi among the oak woodlands of Borrego Canyon. Due to the importance of rainfall and temperature for mushrooms, the date of this trip may move a week or two in either direction on short notice. See Important Scheduling Note below.

Joanne will explain the differences in the fungus parts and how they reproduce from spores spread by wind, animals, water and insects. Fungus are important to the ecology of our local wildlands in many ways and without their decomposing and symbiotic characteristics the world would be a very different place. Joanne will demonstrate environmentally friendly methods and tools used to study fungi. Although principally a mushroom and fungus trip, we probably will not be able to avoid pointing out a few of the interesting native plants of the area as well.

Joanne Schwartz is an amateur mycologist and local mushroom expert. She has collected and photographed fungi throughout the world and has participated in field studies in Peru and Bolivia as well as California’s redwood forests and TNC’s Santa Cruz Island Reserve.

LOGISTICS

Cost:  Free and open to all, but a $5 parking lot fee or OC Parks Pass is needed.
Registration:  Cancelled due to low rain year.
Meet:  8 AM in the parking lot at 26701 Portola Pkwy, Foothill Ranch (just North of the Ralphs Market). Sunday January 5. – Check this website for last minute updates.
Facilities:  Water and restroom at the trailhead.
Leaders:  Joanne Schwartz and Ron Vanderhoff.
Physical Difficulty:  Easy to moderate.
Duration:  Approximately 3 hours.
Bring:  Hand lens.

IMPORTANT SCHEDULING NOTE

Mushrooms are particularly dependent upon winter rainfall for the best hunting. If rains does not cooperate, the date of this trip may be adjusted.